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KYIV — Ukraine wouldn’t lower the draft age from 25 to 18 despite years of pressure from the White House. Instead, it’s unveiled a controversial, new approach.
Starting Tuesday, Kyiv is now enticing young people to join the army with lucrative military contracts, offering a million hryvnias (about €23,000), social benefits and elite training for volunteers who sign up before they turn 25.
But this decision has angered some Ukrainian soldiers who voluntarily joined the army and are still serving despite no prospect of demobilization in sight — while not getting the same benefits as those offered to the youngsters.
“The state devalues all those who voluntarily joined the army at the beginning of a full-scale war,” Masi Nayyem, a Ukrainian serviceman and prominent lawyer, said in a Facebook post.
“It seems that when choosing between unpopular decisions, they decided to neglect the motivation of those already in service,” added Nayyem, who has served in the armed forces for years and lost an eye in combat with the Russian military.
Ukraine’s defense ministry launched the “Contract 18-24” project this week. The initiative promises new joiners about €23,000, of which around €4,600 is paid immediately and the rest across a period of one year, in addition to a monthly salary.
The contract also offers zero-interest mortgages, state-funded training, access to free medical care, including dental prosthetics, and the right to travel abroad. The ministry claims that the new initiative is aimed at showing the army values its people in Ukraine and rewards them.
But existing servicemen get just €460 as a monthly salary on average (depending on rank), plus an increase of up to €2,300 a month if they go on combat missions.
Ukraine has to pay salaries for its 88,000 army soldiers from the state budget, as Western partners won’t finance the armed forces directly.
“‘Contract 18-24’ is not about compulsion, mobilization, or obligation,” Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s defense minister, said in a statement as he launched the program.
The new law also guarantees a 12-month exemption from mobilization following the completion of the contract, which lasts for a year.
“The Ukrainian army is changing, evolving into a modern, strong, and agile force. ‘Contract 18-24’ marks a significant step toward establishing a higher-level professional army, where every volunteer is an invaluable asset and an integral part of our defense’s strength,” Umerov added.
